Sweet Lowdown

A neat, petite treat that takes the cake

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shining gem that shares a dark block with a pizza joint and a bar, the original location of the tiny, tidy boutique Sweet has gleaming display cases and a flat-screen TV that make it look as if it specializes in high-end fashion or pricey electronics. But this shop sells only one thing: cupcakes, some of the best you’ve ever tasted, huge (there are also miniature versions), fresh, and packaged in adorable brown boxes. The traditional chocolate or vanilla renditions are only the beginning: try “organic karat,” red-velvet, cappuccino, or Boston cream pie. Sweet keeps coming up with new specialty and seasonal cupcakes, so there’s always a new variety to try: the “red, white, and you” berry-filled for the Fourth of July, caramel apple (served on a stick) in the fall, or s’mores on chilly nights. Stefano

One of America’s biggest cupcake factories was the Hostess plant in Natick, which turned out 1,000 cupcakes a minute. Closed in 1999, it’s now the site of the Natick Mall.